Major reforms to permitted development to come into force on 30 May: Pickles

Major reforms to the permitted development regime will come into force on 30 May, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has announced.

The changes – introduced by secondary legislation amending the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development Order) 1995 – include:

  • New permitted development rights will allow change of use from offices B1(a) to homes (C3) to provide new homes in existing buildings. The DCLG said there were areas in 17 local authorities in England consisting of individual buildings, roads or zones that would be exempt from these new rights to convert offices to homes. They include parts of the City of London, a number of London boroughs and Manchester City Council as well as borough councils (Vale of the White Horse, Stevenage, Ashford in Kent) and district councils (Sevenoaks and East Hampshire).
  • Existing agricultural buildings under 500m2 can change to a number of other business uses. For buildings between 150m2 and 500m2, prior approval will be required, “to ensure that the change of use does not create unacceptable impacts (such as noise or transport problems)”.
  • New retail ventures, financial and professional services, restaurants, cafes and businesses will be able to open for up to two years in buildings designated as A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, B1, D1 or D2 classes (shops, financial services, restaurants, pubs, hot food takeaways, business, non-residential institutions, leisure and assembly).
  • There will be a rise in the thresholds for business change of use, increasing from 235m2 to 500m2 for change of use from offices and general industrial use to storage and distribution, and from general industrial and storage or distribution to offices.
  • Premises that are offices, hotels and assembly or leisure use classes will be able to change use permanently to a state-funded school (subject to prior approval covering highways and transport impacts and noise). A temporary permitted development right will be introduced allowing a building in any use class to be used as a state-funded school for one academic year “to help deliver new schools and allow for minor associated physical development”.
  • The requirement for prior approval of siting and appearance of fixed broadband infrastructure will be relaxed for five years to encourage operators to invest in provision in rural areas.
  • Homes and business owners will be able to extend their properties for a three-year period as part of new permitted development rights. A light-touch neighbours’ consultation procedure will be introduced.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: “There is huge untapped potential in the many disused existing buildings we have and we’re determined that every one of them is put to good use.

“By simplifying the process and relaxing some stringent rules we can provide a helping hand to those eager to boost their high streets or rural communities by cutting the time and costs needed to start up new businesses.”

Pickles added: “These reforms will provide a boost to the exciting free schools programme. It will make it easier for parents and community activists to convert buildings into new schools.

“We’re also providing a great opportunity for outdated, redundant or underused offices to be brought back to life by converting them into homes, protecting the green belt and countryside at the same time. This will also increase footfall and provide knock-on benefits to the wider community.”

A copy of the Communities Secretary’s written ministerial statement can be found here.